


The Reflection Of My Heart Has Your Smile

by NormalnessLeadsToSadness (DrowningInStarlight)



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: 2009 Phan, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Boys In Love, Cuddling & Snuggling, Death of some OCs, Fantasy Violence, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, I'll put warnings, Im so sorry dnp, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kinda?, Light Angst, Light Smut, Literally so much cuddling, Lots of references to irl dnp, Magic, Mirrors, Multi, Non-Graphic Smut, Phan Fluff, Phil is very sad at the beginning, Phil's psychic grandma, Romance, Swearing, for later chapters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-09-27
Packaged: 2018-12-15 20:16:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11813424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrowningInStarlight/pseuds/NormalnessLeadsToSadness
Summary: Phil Lester, the legacy of generations of psychic powers, can see things that others can't. He can see the brown haired boy in the mirror, the one with eyes so beautiful it makes his heart beat faster.Dan Howell, who doesn't know his family, is trapped behind a mirror in another world, rapidly falling for the blue eyed, black haired boy who made it his mission to be his friend.But when worlds collide, can they learn to survive in a hostile land, help their friends, and get back home? All while falling in love?Fantasy/Magic AU, feat. Phil's Grandma, magic mirrors, other worlds, and a whole lot of phan!Gifted to some of my favourite creators in the archive, because their work never fails to delight and inspire me!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Madophelia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madophelia/gifts).



> Hey there!  
> This is going to be a six parter at least, I've got it all drafted so don't worry I will update. Updates will probably be every week or so. 
> 
> Now, to get serious for a second: In no way do I claim that any of the feelings, relationships or events portrayed in this fic actually happened, or in any way related to Dan and Phil's actual feelings. This is a work of complete fiction, just using Dan and Phil as characters, Sorry DnP. 
> 
> There is some referenced and attempted rape/non-con in the later chapters. I will put warnings in the specific chapters. 
> 
> In this chapter, Phil is not very happy, and although it's not actually depression and he's happier later on, it could be triggering to anyone upset by that sort of thing. Stay safe, people. 
> 
>  
> 
> Also I would like to apologise to Phil's family, I'm sure they're all lovely people but for the purpose of this fic they are all kind of assholes. Sorry!
> 
> I hope you enjoy the fic!

In his bedroom, Phil Lester had a mirror, and for as long as he could remember, he'd talked to the boy in the reflection.

The mirror was full length, coming right down to the floor, and the boy had beautiful eyes, that was all Phil knew and it didn't bother him. Once, he told his mum that the face that looked back at him wasn't his, but she'd laughed uncomfortably.

"Don't be silly, Phil," She'd said, steering him firmly away, "Of course it's your face. Who's else could it be?"

  
"It's his," Phil replied, but she'd stopped listening, talking instead about the little girl across the road, the upcoming visit to Grandma's, anything and everything except mirrors. Phil had sighed, but ever a patient child, let it go.

Later that day, though, when he was supposed to be in bed, he heard her talking to his dad, concern in her voice.

  
"-Phil came out with something very strange today," She said. "You know that mirror in his room? He said he could see someone in it."

  
"Himself?" Dad said, sounding like he wasn't paying full attention.

  
"He said not, but... Well, I suppose you never know with little kids. He seemed really serious, though."

  
"I've always said there's something wrong with that child, haven't I, Kath? I know a wrong 'un when I see one, mark my words."

  
"Hmm," His mum agreed, with a casualness that made Phil give a tiny half-gasp.

  
He leant back against the wall, feeling a stab of betrayal, and without caring whether they heard him or not he ran back upstairs, his bare feet padding on the cold ground. He lay in the dark, hugging the covers around him, and swore with all the passion of his six year old heart to never mention the mirror boy to anyone again.

 

Gradually the hurt faded, but a sense of stubborn defiance took it's place, and it was this that prompted him to wave to the mirror boy every morning before he left for school. At first the boy was only there occasionally, but soon he was there every morning, with brown hair and a smile, an energetic wave.  
Phil always got a little thrill when this happened, it made him feel special, he was sure he was the only person in the world to have a mirror friend.  
It made him feel happy. Why shouldn't it?  
*

 

 

Phil had just turned ten, and he was playing with his schoolmates in the little wood next to his house. There was fog clinging to all the twisted trees, and floating in ghostly clumps, and of course the discussion turned to ghosts and ghost stories.

A girl called Aeonia was telling a particularly riveting story, with the fascinated ghoulishness of ten years olds. Phil always disliked ghost stories, with their violent depictions of suffering, and this one especially was making him feel weird. It was about a boy that had been killed, and his spirit trapped inside a mirror, forever seeking vengeance against his killers. The boy didn't sound anything like his mirror friend, but just the thought of him being trapped against his will made Phil upset.

  
Aeonia, oblivious to his discomfort, carried on, illustrating her words with expansive gestures, her curly hair flying around her.

  
"And then she woke up, to see the ghost standing over her with a knife-"

  
Everyone gasped, and she nodded, clearing enjoying the attention.

  
"Then, he hissed "Free, free at last," and stabbed her with the knife until her blood was everywhere and-"

  
"This story is all wrong," Phil blurted, unable to stand it any longer. "My friend lives in a mirror, and he waves to me before I go to school..." He trailed off. They were all staring at him.

  
Aeonia broke the silence by gasping dramatically. "Oh, Phil, you're in terrible danger!"

  
"I'm not," He muttered, "He's my friend..."

  
"Phil, how can your reflection your friend?" said another boy, Nathan, as he swung down from a tree. "That's just sad."

  
"It's not me!" Phil protested. "It's... him." He realised suddenly that he didn't know the mirror boy's name.

  
"You know what happens to people who see things that aren't there?" Nathan sneered. "They get locked away, and serves them right. Freaks!"

  
"But...but..." Phil began, his voice getting smaller and smaller as the others joined in Nathan's jeering, sharing wild stories of people getting locked up.

  
"I-" He got up abruptly. "I'm going home."

  
"Going to cry to your reflection, then, freak?"

  
He refused to rise to their bait, besides he knew if he tried to say anything then he'd start crying, and he wouldn't do that in front of them, he wouldn't.

 

 

He raced through the house, and went in his bedroom. He locked the door behind him, even though his mum and dad were working and his brother never came into his room, but after what the others had said he couldn't be too careful.

  
He stood in front of the mirror, half expecting to just see himself, but sure enough the brown haired mirror boy looked back at him.

  
"Can- Can you hear me?" Phil asked. It was the first time he'd directly addressed the mirror boy in years, although he'd fallen into the habit of talking out loud about things.

  
The boy nodded, fiddling with his fringe. He looked curious, brown eyes open wide.

  
"Can you talk back to me?"

  
The boy shook his head, obviously speaking although Phil couldn't hear anything.

  
"What's your name?" Phil asked, taking a step closer to the mirror.

  
The boy shrugged, once again mouthing words soundlessly.

  
"Wait, can you... y'know," He shaped the letters to spell the word "Phil" with his fingers- "Say it like that?"

  
The boy nodded thoughtfully again and started forming letters, to quick for Phil to see.

  
"Slow down a bit," Phil laughed, feeling the tension draining out of him. "I didn't get any of that. Is your name... Susan?"

  
The mirror boy rolled his eyes, with a smile on his face. Phil noticed again how pretty his eyes looked, all crinkled from smiling.

  
The boy tried again, more slowly this time, and Phil quickly wrote the letters on a piece of scrap paper.

  
"Daniel Howell- Dan?" he said hesitantly, and the boy smiled widely, nodding.

  
"Daniel," Phil said softly. "Dan. You... You're not going to kill me, are you?"

  
Dan looked horrified and shocked for a moment then firmly shook his head.

  
"Okay, right," Phil said, "It was just people I know, they were saying- But they don't know what they're talking about. You're my friend, aren't you?"

  
Dan nodded emphatically in response, making Phil smile.

  
"I'm your friend too, Dan," He said.

  
Dan's face lit up in the sweetest smile Phil had ever seen.  
*

 

 

Time passed, as time has a habit of doing when left unattended, and as Phil grew up he started to get more and more unhappy. He was lonely, that's what it really came down too, lonely and afraid, trapped in the horrible paradox of craving company but disliking the people he knew. They laughed at him, at his hair, at his love of video games, at his habit of remembering random animal facts and how he always tried to be a good person, and even though he knew he shouldn't care, he did, he did, he did.

  
_Weird. Annoying. Childish. Boring._ The words piled up, and up, threatening to drown him.

He started to talk more and more to the mirror boy - Dan - telling him about his life, about his deepest wishes and dreams. It rapidly became his only outlet, staying up later and later into the night, just talking about anything.

Sometimes, though, when Phil got back from school, tired and miserable, the mirror just showed Phil his own face and he sat there in panic, terrified that this time Dan was gone forever, but he always came back, and his eyes lit up when he saw Phil waiting for him.

Before long, during the many nights Phil spent talking to Dan, they'd come up with a way of communicating, a crazy mix of charades and sign language and shaping individual letters, but it worked and that was all that mattered, in the end.

 

 

Although Phil told Dan everything, things he'd never dream of telling other people, he never asked Dan anything about himself, who he was, where he came from, why he was in Phil's mirror. He feared the answers, feared the consequences asking those questions might have. Also he couldn't rid himself of the fear that maybe his friends and parents were right, after all, maybe he was insane or having hallucinations.  
But maybe being crazy wouldn't be so bad if it meant he got to talk to the boy with beautiful eyes.  
*

 

 

It was December, cold and crisp, and the Lester family were having their annual Christmas gathering. Phil always disliked them, even though he didn't mind talking to his family one-to-one, put them all together and they were beyond frustrating, decades of grudges and feuds and complicated emotional politics. It exhausted him. This year he found he was actively dreading it, dreading the invasive questions and unfair judgements his family seemed to specialise in.

 

He spent Christmas morning playing video games in bed, wrapped in the duvet. His family only opened presents when all the guests had arrived, so he knew he wouldn't be missed. At this time of day they'd be busy preparing food and putting up decorations, so with luck it'd be at least a few hours before they noticed he wasn't there. He smiled at Dan, then turned his attention back to Sonic.

 

As he'd hoped, it was almost three hours before he was missed. By then he'd rage-quitted Sonic and was sitting in front of the mirror, talking to Dan. It was warm and cosy, still wrapped in a duvet, and Phil was comfortable and sleepy. He was just explaining, his voice slightly slurred, why he was hiding away up here when he heard a knock on the door.

He snapped awake, and whispered "Hide!" To Dan before calling "Come in!"

  
He expected to see his mum, or possibly his dad enter the room, but it was his grandma who walked in, still wearing her coat and hat and smelling of fresh air.

  
"Gran!" He said in surprise and happiness. He always got on well with his grandmother, even though he didn't see her very often, but he didn't dare move from in front of the mirror to hug her like usual just in case Dan was still there.

  
Mrs Lester clearly noticed something was off, but, hero that she was, she didn't comment, just sat down smiling on his bed and said "Hello, Phil, my dear, it's lovely to see you again."

  
"It's nice to see you again too, Grandma," He replied, and decided he had to risk moving, if he didn't he'd look even more suspicious.

As he hugged her, he was suddenly aware of how long it had been since he'd last hugged someone, and how much he'd missed it. He hadn't felt like hugging his parents for a long time, and besides they were hardly ever there any more. He never hugged his school mates, and - Well, he could hardly hug his only actual friend.

  
"I could have sworn I heard talking when I came up," She said, taking off her silky scarf and laying it on the bed. "Were you on the phone?"

  
"No," He said quickly- too quickly, he realised a moment too late- "I was just... talking to myself."

  
She looked past him, to the mirror, which still had a pillow and duvet in front of it. It was painfully obvious he'd been sitting there, it had become habit to make a nest in front of the mirror so he could sit there in comfort for hours on end. Recently, he'd been falling asleep there too, waking a moment later to Dan's silent laughter, or occasionally the morning sun shining on his face.

 

 

Mrs Lester looked at him with raised eyebrows, but once again didn't say anything.

  
"I came to fetch you down," She said, "Apparently they haven't seen hide nor hair of you all day, not that I blame you for hiding. You dad was going to come and shout at you, but I said I'd come instead, as he's in a right mood and we don't want any fighting on Christmas day now, do we? Are you okay, Philip?"

 

Phil sighed and sat down on the rug. "Thanks for coming, Gran, I appreciate it."

He meant what he said. he really couldn't face another of his dad's rants about all the many ways Phil wasn't good enough, it always upset him and the more upset he got the more tongue-tied he became, until he couldn't say anything to defend himself, getting redder and redder, closer and closer to tears.

 

He sighed again and braced himself to lie. He hated lying, especially to someone he actually cared about, but he'd tell Sherlock Holmes himself that Watson was dead if it would protect Dan.

  
"I'm fine," He said, putting as much honesty as he could in the words. "I just like being up here quiet by myself. I'm happy. I really am." He glanced at the mirror again before he could stop himself, and Mrs Lester followed his gaze, taking in once more the scene of quiet domesticity.

  
She gaze him a searching look. "You know, Phil, you come from a long line of psychics. My mother, my mother's father, they all could read tarot cards and dream visions of the future, and see things that others couldn't. I also have the gift, and I searched for signs in your father when he was young, but, bless his heart, he's as normal as a brick wall. But you, Phil... You've always been different. Just remember, my dear, the perils of loving a reflection -"

  
Phil, feeling thoroughly unnerved, stood up suddenly. "Thanks for the advice, Grandma, but they'll be waiting for us downstairs. we'd better go."

  
She agreed, but looked at him closely, a thoughtful expression on her face.

Phil found it exceptionally hard to focus for the rest of the day, his heart was beating wildly and he spent his time slipping from room to room, avoiding his parents. His grandma kept shooting him serious, slightly concerned looks, and he really wanted to talk to Dan, to calm his thoughts which were rapidly spinning out of control. He was too paranoid to try, though, even when he had a spare moment, and by the time he found himself alone by the end of the evening Dan was gone, the mirror empty. Phil tossed and turned, sliding in and out of uncomfortable dreams. It was a long time before he fell asleep that night.  
*

 

January passed, and the winter turned gradually into a grey and muddy spring.

Phil's birthday came and went with little acknowledgement.

His dad was away with work anyway, and he sat at the kitchen table under a grainy yellow light and cut slices of the supermarket cake with his mother and brother, but he didn't mind, not at all. He preferred it this way, no fuss, no bother, just half hearted smiles and cardboard cake.

He want back upstairs soon after, up to Dan. This secret life, in the dark when no one else was up, sat in front of a mirror talking, endlessly talking, was starting to feel more real that his everyday one, and he found he liked it that way.  
*

 

 

The wind was cold, blowing through the dirty trees of the patch of woodland near his home. Wrappers and cans from age old parties blew around or rolled past the feet of Phil's old schoolmates, who were sitting on the ground or up in trees like so much more rubbish. It was the same place he'd been teased about Dan, all those years before, and so prompted him to befriend the mirror boy.

Whether it actually had got smaller and dirtier, or whether he'd just lost his rose tinted view he wasn't sure, but either way he was on edge. The wind howled like someone in agonizing pain, and Phil pulled his hoodie tighter around his shoulders.

 

Some people had cigarettes, the smoke making twisted curls in the wind, and others had bottles of alcohol, playing like children at being cool and rebellious, but Phil refused to take anything that they offered him, despite the jeers.

He didn't particularly want to be here, but Dan had been gone all day and this was the only way he could think of to distract himself from spending all evening in front of the mirror, driving himself insane with worry. Now he could tell his parents that he'd been out with friends and they could feel good about themselves for raising such a normal, well-adjusted human being. Okay, so maybe he was feeling kind of bitter this evening. Sue him.

His so called friends hadn't brought up what he'd told them about Dan for a while, although there had been a time when they'd teased him about it non-stop. Even now, though, Phil was very careful not to prod their memories. He desperately didn't want his parents to hear it, and decide to throw out Dan's mirror or something.

That desperation was probably what caused Phil to panic when suddenly, out of the blue, Aeonia started talking about the mirror boy once again.

  
Aeonia had grown up, with a large helping of prejudice and plastic jewellery, but she was still as petty as any ten year old, eyes sharp for any sign of weakness. Phil had never liked her much, and over the years her constant sniping about Dan had only heightened his dislike.

She, however, despite hating him, had caught on early that being flirted with made him uncomfortable, and took every advantage of that knowledge.

 

Mariana, a friendly girl a few years younger than Phil, seemed aware of the tense atmosphere and tried to lighten the mood by talking merrily about her little brother.

  
"- He came up to me and Mam, and told us that his friend was standing behind us, and could we let him through, but when we turned around no one was there, of course, and since then he hasn't stopped talking about his imaginary friend. It's bloody creepy, I'm telling you..." She trailed off when no one even pretended to look interested.

  
"You had an imaginary friend, didn't you, Phil?" Aeonia said. "Lived in a mirror or something. You used to get really upset whenever we mentioned it, d'you remember?" She laughed thoughtlessly.

  
"Oh yeah," Nathan said, leaning his beer against the tree trunk. "I remember that. We told you it was made up bullshit and you ran home crying."

  
"I did not!" Phil protested, but he was drowned out by laughter.

  
"Tell us about it, Phil!"

  
"Did you even decide a name in the end?"

  
"His name i- was Dan," Phil said, nervous being the centre of attention. He was internally freaking out, palms sweaty, trying desperately to think of things to say that would distract them.

  
"What did he look like, Phil?" Aeonia prompted, when he was silent like a deer caught in headlights.

  
"He, um, he was slightly younger than me, with brown hair-" At this point Phil figured it was easier to tell them what Dan actually looked like than try to make up something on the spot and risk contradicting himself. He was already being painfully suspicious, he knew. "And the softest eyes I've ever seen, soft and brown, like soil in the summer sun-"

  
"Was he your imaginary friend or your lover?" Nathan broke in, snickering.

  
"He has a point," Mariana agreed. "Your imaginary friend sounds hot."

  
"Not quite my type," Aeonia said, winking suggestively at Phil, "but _damn_."

  
Phil stared at them in horror. He hated this, they were talking about Dan, his Dan, like an object to be admired or envied, used and then discarded. He hated Aeonia's stupid flirting, hated Nathan's snickering, and most of all he hated the stab of something like jealousy that their comments caused. His grandmother's words echoed around his head.

  
_Remember the perils of falling in love with a reflection._

He laughed fakely, feeling slightly nauseous, then said as casually as he could "I think I'm going to go home. I'm tired. See you later, guys."

  
He didn't wait to hear their reactions, just turned and left. He forced himself not to run, he would not give them that satisfaction, but he walked fast, the wind buffeting him.

As soon as he was out of sight of the trees, however, he ran as if his life depended on it, and didn't stop until he saw the lights of his house up ahead.

When he got into his bedroom, he found that Dan was gone. All the mirror showed him was his own face, looking sweaty and flushed. And nervous. Very, very nervous.

Phil had made up his mind to ask Dan everything he'd avoided mentioning, and he was deathly afraid the answers were going to be exactly what Phil couldn't bear to hear, but he had to know.

_Remember the perils of loving a reflection._  
_I'm not in love with Dan, not my Dan._  
_I'm not._  
_I'm not._  
*

 

 

About an hour passed before Dan returned, and when he did, all thoughts of his doubts were temporarily driven out of his mind. Dan looked miserable, his eyes and face red from crying, and the normally inquisitive, determined light in his eyes was gone, replaced by such a look of unhappiness that Phil felt as if his own feelings were being mirrored back to him.

  
"Dan!" He said, "Are you okay?"

  
Dan attempted to wipe his eyes and nodded quickly.

  
"You don't look okay," Phil persisted,but Dan shot him a look that clearly said _drop it_ , so he did. For now.

 

Wondering how to ask the questions he needed too, Phil was silent, quietly marvelling at his beauty as he had a hundred times before when Dan's attention was elsewhere. But this time, there was an added urgency to his gaze, the desire to memorize his features one last time, just in case. Just in case.

  
"Dan..." He said at last, voice quiet and serious. "Dan, can I ask you something?"

  
A nod. A gesture clearly conveying _of course_.

  
Phil was so good at understanding Dan's gestures it made him want to cry. _I know Dan,_ He screamed inside his head, I _do,_ I _do!_

  
But underneath another voice was whispering, making Phil feel more nauseous by the second: _You don't know Dan. You don't know his age, who his family are, if he's even human. You don't know ANYTHING._

  
"Dan, are you real?"

  
Dan nodded and once again gestured Of course, but he looked nervous now.

  
"-Because my grandma said something, and- and I think I'm- I don't know if I can do this any more. I'm tired of my one real friend being a dead secret. I'm tired of worrying that people will think I'm crazy, or maybe, if you are just a hallucination, I'm tired of being crazy. I'm just so tired, Dan. Of everything."

  
Dan looked downright terrified now. His brown eyes were wide - oh, how well Phil knew those eyes - _You don't know anything about him_ \- and he avoided Phil's gaze.

  
"Dan. Dan, please," He said, "I just need to know. I have to know."

  
Dan looked up then, and stared deep into Phil's eyes. He gave a sad half-smile, and put his hand out, as if to reach through the glass to Phil.

  
Phil, almost without conscious effort, reached out and touched Dan's hand.

  
Somehow, he'd put his hand through the mirror- to Dan. Dan still held his gaze, clearly inviting him to pull away, but Phil didn't. He wouldn't. Dan's hand was warm and soft, he could feel the pulse beating in his wrist.

  
Everything was completely silent, a moment outside time, and the universe held its breath, waiting, waiting.  
Waiting.

  
"Show me," Phil whispered, and with that Dan pulled him through the mirror.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil finds himself in Dan's world, with no way home, but somehow he can't hold it against the brown eyed boy who's captured his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, gals and non-binary pals! Just want to say thank for for all your lovely comments, and I really hope you enjoy chapter two, it was a blast to write. 
> 
> WARNINGS: This chapter has... Well, I've tagged it as rape/non-con, but it's more like voyeurism without consent? Is that a thing? Anyway, yeah, if that kind of thing bothers you then maybe don't read. Stay safe, people!

Phil felt like he was in a high wind, unable to breath, but before he could freak out he landed heavily on the ground, sinking to all fours.

Pebbles, pebbles and sand. He was by the sea. 

"Phil, Phil, are you okay?"

He looked up, and saw Dan standing over him, looking worried. He realised with a shock that it was the first time he'd heard Dan's voice. It was higher pitched than Phil had expected, full of anxiety. His accent was as unlike Phil's northern one as you could get, but it suited Dan. Phil could hear him. 

For the first time in his life, he could hear his best friend's voice.

"I'm - I'm fine," He managed, standing up shakily, shoes crunching on the stones. 

"I'm sorry, I should have warned you, I didn't think -" 

Phil almost giggled at how nervous Dan sounded, then felt bad.  
"Dan, it's okay, it doesn't matter. Just... what happened? Where are we?"

He looked around properly, now his head had stopped spinning, and saw that he was indeed on a beach, the sea crashing a way down the cold, grey sand. Phil couldn't rid himself of the feeling it was supposed to be beautiful, beautiful like Dan, or at the very least alive and natural, but it all felt dead and cold. The sand was less grey, and more colourless, he realised, and the sea was a deep shade of black. An air of sickness hung like smoke in the still air. 

Behind them towered a huge cliff, made of a hard stone that looked like granite might look if it had died a long time ago and was preserved still, a permanent reminder that death came for everyone. 

Phil shivered. He was surprised, he never seen where Dan lived before, as the brown haired boy had always appeared in the reflection of Phil's own room, and he hadn't been expecting this. 

 

Dan shuffled from foot to foot, he was one of the few people nearly as tall as Phil, and lanky in that way on teenagers can be. Every time he looked at him Phil felt a grin spread across his face, but Dan's eyes were full of fear.

"Dan, you don't have to be afraid," He prompted gently, "It's just me. You can tell me."

"I - I don't know how to explain," Dan stuttered. "This place - There are other worlds, Phil, other than the human one, and this is one."

"You mean like parallel universes?" Phil asked. 

"Kind of, I suppose. I don't know. I brought you here through the mirror, there." He gestured back at the cliff and Phil saw a polished bronze rectangle embedded on the cliff face, about the same size as Phil's mirror back home. He went over and touched it warily.

"It seems pretty solid to me," He said, putting his palms against the metal and pushing lightly. 

"That's the problem, oh Phil, that's why I promised myself I'd never do it, but I was so scared and the Gentry were going to smash it if I didn't - You can't get back. Mirror portals only work one way and I'm so sorry, I've fucked it all up and now you're trapped and the Gentry will be coming soon and - and -" He stopped, voice choked with tears. 

"You mean - There's no way back? I'm going to be stuck here... forever?" 

"I'm sorry..." Dan said again, "Not that I know of. This world is poisoned, dying, it takes everything it needs to survive from other worlds, heat, light, and us. Slaves, to cook, clean, entertain, to submit completely and utterly to anything the Gentry want. The gentry are like... Well, I guess you could call them faeries? They are the natural inhabitants of this world, but they're dying out, so they use us."

"You are human, then?" Phil asked tentatively. "You're real?"

"I'm human, yes. I was kidnapped through a mirror, just like you... they use us to lure more innocent children."

"We're going to find a way to escape," Phil said determinedly. "There has to be one. There has too."

"Phil, I've been here since I was four years old, and not a single slave has ever managed to escape. But... we can try, I suppose. Are we - Are we still friends, then? Even after what I've done?"

"Dan, of course you're still my friend!" Phil said, shocked. "It's not your fault you were forced to do this. And we'll find a way to escape, together." His voice went suddenly soft. "Dan and Phil. I like it."

 

A full twenty seconds passed before Phil realised they'd been staring at each other, and looked away quickly. 

But everything that had seemed so certain when he'd been at home seemed different here, more fluid. Lines so carefully measured in Phil's head blurred, and blurred so delightfully Phil couldn't quite remember why they'd been there in the first place. Frantic denials seemed pointless now he was here, with actual, real Dan sat right next to him on the shingle, so close he could feel his body heat. 

_Remember the perils of falling in love with a reflection._

But he's real, and Phil couldn't stop himself falling. 

Still not quite able to believe there was no mirror glass separating them, he reached out tentatively and took Dan's hand. Dan flinched away quickly.

"Sorry -" Phil began, but Dan interrupted at once. 

"No, it's not that, you can take my hand any time you want," He said, a faint blush dusting his cheeks, "-It's... Well, it's this." He pulled up his sleeve, revealing dark bruises around his wrist and up his arm.

"Dan, what happened?" Phil asked, feeling a sudden wave of protectiveness for the younger boy. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Phil," he said, smiling a little as Phil put an arm around his shoulders. "It was just the guards, they didn't want me seeing you, they were going to smash the mirror, because I wouldn't lure you through, but I had to come and say goodbye..."  
"Dan-" Phil began, but was cut off by the sound of a horn filling the air, echoing off the cliffs from just above them. 

"Shit, Phil, they know, that's the hunting horn. We need to go, come on!"

Phil stood up and looked around, he couldn't see anyone but Dan's fear was infectious, and the horn cry was still ringing in his ears.

He stood up and carefully took Dan's other hand, flashing a shy smile despite his fear.

"Lead the way, D-Slice!"

"Really, Phil? Is now the time?"

Dan practically dragged Phil up a narrow set of steps cut into the cliff side. 

"The woods, we can lose them in the woods," He said, "The trees are too tangled for the their horses to get through very fast!"

The two boys climbed over the crest of the hill and Phil suddenly understood why Dan was so scared.

Looking like it had grown out of the earth was a huge black fortress, about a mile away on the highest point of the cliff. It had the look of a poisonous plant, dark and twisted, sucking the life of the earth around it. The horn calls had obviously come from there, and though there was no one in sight Phil ran faster. He didn't let go of Dan's hand, as Dan clearly knew where he was going to Phil just held on tight and concentrated on not tripping up. 

The ground dipped suddenly, and Phil could see the tops of trees a little way ahead. 

"Is that- ?" He asked, panting. Long distance running wasn't his strong point.

"Yes, come on," Dan replied. He sounded equally out of breath, but he was still moving just as fast, obviously used to pushing his limits.

 

In no time, they were tumbling down into the woods, branches catching in their clothes, the rutted path dipping so steeply they had to grab at each other to not fall.

Eventually the ground levelled out a bit, and they came out into a little clearing with a river flowing through it. Dan sank down onto the soft grass and Phil collapsed next to him.

"D'you...D'you think we've outrun them?" Phil said, when he'd recovered enough to speak. 

"I don't know," Dan replied, shooting a wary look around the clearing. "I hope so."

"What was that place?"

"That was the Castle," He explained. "It's where the King of this land lives, the King of the Gentry. All the slaves technically belong to him. _I_ technically belong to him." 

"No, no you don't," Phil said at once, Dan's downcast expression making him feel like he wanted to break something. Or more specifically, someone, the people who had made the boy he cared about more than anyone else in the whole world feel like he didn't have control over himself. "You belong in the human world, Dan."

"If only. I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have brought you here, with no way to get home, it was selfish."

"Dan, it's okay-"

"You're only saying that because you don't know what it's like here. We can never go home, we'll be trapped here forever, is that really how you want to live? Trust me, you don't want to be here."

Phil sat up. "I don't think you understand, Dan, just how unhappy I was back there. Seriously. I've spent the last ten years of my life thinking I might be crazy and you're not even real, Dan! I thought you were a hallucination or something but the scary thing was I didn't actually care, I still don't! I would rather spend my whole life talking to hallucination than be without you! Then my grandmother seemed to know that I was talking to you and I was so scared I was going to lose you but you're real, you are, you are, so don't you dare tell me what I want! Don't you dare!"  
He was breathing hard, his face red. It took all his willpower not to burst into tears and it looked like Dan was fighting the same battle.

"Phil," He whispered. "You thought that? I didn't know..."

"Yeah, well. I didn't want to mention it in case it was true."

 

There was a long silence in which they didn't look at each other, broken only by the sound of the river.

Phil eventually got up and stood by the river's edge taking off his shoes and dipping his toes in the cold water. 

"I'm sorry, Dan. I didn't meant to shout at you."

Dan came and stood next to him, also shoeless. The water was clear and fast flowing, the motion calming. 

"I'm sorry too," He said, taking Phil's hand gently.

They were silent again, but a friendly silence this time. Then Phil beat down and scooped up a handful of water.

"I still hate you though," He said, and tipped the water down the back of Dan's neck. Dan gasped and shrieked, flicking water back at him. Before long it had descended into a full on water fight their squeals and giggles echoing around the trees, filling the clearing with sounds of merriment. 

 

They climbed out of the river sometime later, both completely soaked but laughing with exhilaration. The late evening sun was still up, and they sat on the grass bathing in the warmth.

"Phil?" Dan said shyly after they were almost dry, and the sun had started dipping behind the horizon, dying the clouds pink.

"Yeah?" God, Dan looked pretty lying in the grass like that, his hair curly from the water, the sunset reflecting off his face. It was all Phil could do not to kiss him then and there, but he restrained himself. He wasn't sure how Dan would react, and he didn't want to ruin this perfect moment. 

"This was the most fun I've ever had..."

Something about the way Dan spoke, the lonely wistfulness in his voice, made Phil suddenly and dramatically change his mind. He tackled Dan to the ground, and held him - gently, so Dan could easily push him off if he wanted too - but that seemed to be the last thing on Dan's mind just then. His eyes were wide as he stared at Phil, his breathing was shallow and uneven. 

"Phil?" He said, his voice high and uncertain. 

"Is this okay?" Phil asked. 

"Oh, god yes," Dan said, looking up at Phil with those beautiful brown eyes, "Yes, it's okay, I'm o-" But Phil cut him off, kissing him softly. 

Dan made a gasping sound that made Phil's heart beat faster, then he was kissing back, clumsy and urgent. 

He pulled away after about a minute and said "Goddamnit, Phil, stop being so gentle," making Phil smirk and kiss him harder.

They'd been kissing for a few minutes when Dan's hands started scrabbling at Phil's T-shirt, but Phil caught them and held them lightly.

"Dan, no, wait."

"Oh, god, I'm sorry, Phil," Dan said, stopping and holding Phil's hand, "I should have asked, we can stop, if you want, of course we can..." 

He sat up and fixed his dishevelled hair, his face and mixture of concern and embarrassment. 

"Dan, it's fine, that's not what I meant," He said, also sitting up. "I just..."

"It's okay," Dan said again.

Phil looked around the woods, which were getting darker as the sun went down. "Not here, not this time," He said,"But someday..."

Dan's breathing hitched and his eyes went distant like he was imagining it. Phil started to, but his mind short circuited at the mere thought of undressing Dan, so he stopped and asked "Can I kiss you again?" in a voice that wasn't quite steady.

Dan nodded at once, and almost threw himself into Phil's lap. Phil pulled him closer so Dan's legs were around his hips. Their faces were so close together Phil could count the tiny specks of colour in Dan's eyes, and God this felt so much more intimate than before. Dan looked nervous again, So Phil put a hand up and touched his cheek. 

"It's just me," He murmured softly. "Just Phil." 

"Your eyes are so pretty," Dan whispered, "You could go swimming in them, they're so blue..." 

With that he closed the distance between them and for the second time that evening Phil was kissing Dan and it felt so good. 

"I want to kiss you forever," Dan said, and Phil replied shamelessly "Well, we've got all night..."

It was a long time before they fell asleep that night.

 

* 

Phil awoke with a start. Something had disturbed him- What? He took stock of his surroundings, mind still dull with sleep. Grass, damp beneath him, the sky, still dark above him. Dan, lying half on top of him with his head on Phil's chest, still fast asleep.

He was on the verge of dismissing it and going back to sleep when he heard it again, a snap-crack-thud that sounded oddly like a crossbow being loaded, a sound he'd only heard on TV shows before now. 

He sat up at once, clutching Dan to his chest him falling, and looked around the clearing. Then he gave a yell. Opposite them, an elegant grey horse was blowing and stamping, and in front of it stood a person. 

Definitely not human, the man was tall and strong, with an indefinable deadly grace. He was wearing intricate armour, engraven with patterns or skulls and swords and choking vines, in a shade of silver that matched his horse, but what worried Phil most was the massive crossbow pointed right at them.

Dan had woken at Phil's shout, and now he stood, pulling Phil up with him. 

"Albian," He spat, glaring at the... Elf? Faerie? Phil wasn't sure, but either way this was no Legolas. He looked cruel and dangerous.

"Well, well, the little slave boy and his human finally wake," He said, his voice soft and menacing. "I've been waiting long enough. Last night tired you out, did it? I've never seen a kissing session last so long, even between mated faeries. Humans are so deliciously excitable."

"What?" Dan said, and Phil added to that wise statement "How long have you been here, bastard?"

"Oh, quite long enough," He said carelessly, "You like it rough then, little slave boy?" His voice became high and mocking. _"'Goddamnit, Phil, stop being so gentle!"_

"Shut up!" Phil shouted, stepping in front of Dan. He didn't at all like the greedy way this faerie was looking at Dan and himself, like long desired toys, and as the older one he felt a fierce desire to shield Dan from his gaze. Dan was looking angry and ashamed, and he gripped the back of Phil's T-shirt tightly, as if to stop Phil being taken away.

Albian raised an eyebrow at their actions, then, ignoring Phil, addressed himself to Dan again. 

"Got yourself a loyal little human here, haven't you?" He said, a evil smirk spreading across his face. "I bet you're madly in love with him, aren't you? Too bad he turned you down, I was looking forward to the show-"

"SHUT UP!" Dan shouted, snapping suddenly. "THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED, HE HAS A RIGHT TO SAY NO, AND I'M GLAD HE DID WITH YOU AROUND! I HATE YOU!"

Phil could feel Dan's hands shaking on his back, and desperately wanted to comfort him, but didn't think it was a good idea to take his gaze off Albian, so he settled for leaning back ever so slightly. Dan responded by gripping Phil's T-shirt tighter.

"Leave us alone," Phil growled. "Leave us alone right now, don't you dare touch Dan, don't you dare-"

"Well, I'm going to have to cut this short, I'm afraid," Albian interrupted, "We've got places to be." He flipped his crossbow around and hit Phil over the head with it.

Through a haze of pain, Phil could hear Dan screaming his name, and his last thought before everything went black was _I'm sorry, Dan..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hunt me down for that cliffhanger, lol! Next chapter will be out next Wednesday hopefully. :) 
> 
> -Starlight


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, warnings for mentioned rape/non-con.

"You BASTARD!" Dan screamed as Phil fell like a stone. "YOU ABSOLUTE BASTARD! Phil, PHIL!"

Albian laughed. "He's dead," He said carelessly, "Your precious little human is dead." He picked up Phil's limp body easily and draped him over his horse. 

"NO!" Dan shouted, "Don't you dare touch him, don't you d-" He was cut off as Albian grabbed him as well. Despite his violent struggling, the faerie easily tied him up and dumped him over the horse, on top of Phil. He spoke a stern word to his horse and they were off, jolting uncomfortably. All Dan could see was the side of Phil's head, and even that was blurred by his tears of fear and rage. 

"Phil..." He whispered, "Phil, wake up, please..."

But Phil didn't stir. Dan laid his head next to Phil's and tried not to sob- then gave a gasp of relief. He could feel Phil's heartbeat, weak and irregular, but there, thank god! He lay as still as possible, trying not to crush Phil under his weight but still feel his heartbeat, hear his faint breathing, and pray to any gods who might happen to be listening that they wouldn't stop. That Phil wouldn't die and leave him all alone. 

"I love you," He whispered into Phil's hair. "Please be okay."

 

*

The first thing Phil noticed when he awoke was the sound of dripping water, overlapped by heart-broken sobs.  
He tried to sit up, and groaned in pain, his head was aching like he'd been clubbed.

Oh yeah. He had. 

When he got used to the pain a bit, he opened his eyes again, propping himself up on his elbows. He was lying on a cold stone floor, in what appeared to be a... prison cell? One wall looked like solid stone, and the other three were thick bars. Snores echoed from the cells nearby, but he couldn't see into them in the dark. It was only then his sluggish brain recognized the sobbing and he croaked "Dan?"

The sobbing stopped and something - someone - appeared next to him. Phil picked out Dan's silhouette as his eyes adjusted to the near darkness. 

"Phil!" Dan cried, his voice muffled. "Phil, I thought, I thought you were dying, I thought-" He stopped, staring at Phil with a mixture of eagerness and desperation, tears still shining on his face.

"Well, I'm not so sure I'm not," Phil said grumpily, rubbing his head. "This headache... It's worse than the time my brother tricked me into drinking wine when I was nine by telling me it was fruit juice." 

Dan smiled weakly at Phil's attempt at passing things off lightly. He still had that desperate look on his face, so Phil said quietly "Dan, you can hug me or something if you want. I'm not going to break."

"I don't want to hurt you," Dan mumbled in reply but gladly crawled closer, until Phil noticed he had ropes around his hands. 

"Put your hands out," He instructed, "I'll untie them for you."

Dan nodded gratefully, and although it took longer than it should have Phil finally managed to free Dan's hands. When he was finished, Dan put an arm around him. Phil leant back, so their sides were pressed together and their fingers intertwined.

"What happened?" Phil asked, closing his eyes against the pain in his head. 

"Well, Albian knocked you out, and put you on his horse, and.." He tried to keep his tone casual but Phil wasn't fooled, "-And he told me you were dead, but then he grabbed me as well and put me on top of you and I could feel your heartbeat so I knew he was lying."

Dan put a hand on Phil's chest as if to check his heart was still beating.

"Then we rode for ages and your breathing got fainter and I was so worried, Philly, then Albian took us inside the Castle and dumped us in here and I thought you were going to die and it would have been my fault, I would have killed my best friend-" His voice had risen hysterically and Phil attempted to calm him by kissing his cheek gently where it pressed against Phil's own. 

"It wouldn't have been your fault, Dan, and anyway, I'm alive, I'm here, I swear I'm going to be okay, I'm not going to leave you, I swear it, okay, Danny?"

"But it would have been my fault, I brought you here, I know what they do to people here, especially when they are... romantically involved," Dan squeezed Phil's hand softly.

"What? What do they do? Are you even allowed to fall in love?"

"They encourage it," Dan said, "They think it's funny to mess people up, by hurting their loved ones or... or worse...It's quite common for us to fall in love with the people we're supposed to kidnapped, apparently, but normally the mirrors are in the Castle and we can't escape."

"Why was yours on the beach then?" Phil asked, pulling Dan closer. 

"I don't know, I just found it one day, and found you, and after that I kept coming back secretly, and the other slaves covered for me. But of course yesterday the Gentry found out and I thought I was never going to see you again, but at least you would have been free. Now you're trapped in this horrible place."

"We've been over this," Phil said, "I'm with you, and we will find a way to escape. I'm not leaving you, It's okay, It's all going to be okay." 

 

Gradually Dan's breathing calmed, and he said "But Phil, what about you? Your head... Are you all right?" He put his hand on Phil's forehead gently. 

"I don't know," Phil said, then added "I feel cold."

"I think it's the damp," Dan said, trying to cover Phil's body with his own, and Phil delighted in the warmth and comfort, in the softness of Dan's body. 

"Wow, you really like hugging people," Dan murmured.

"Always have," Phil replied, "But especially you... you're so... cuddly..."

"I don't know whether to be pleased or offended," Dan said, burying his face in Phil's hair.

 

A moment's silence followed in which Phil nearly dozed off, but Dan said "Phil, don't fall asleep, I'm sure you're not supposed to do that if you've got concussion... Come on, let's plan what we're going to do. How are we going to escape?" 

Suddenly, a new voice spoke from the next door cell, making Phil jerk awake and Dan sit up.

"A very good question, Dan, a very good question."

"Who's there?" Phil said, craning his neck in an attempt to see next door without actually moving from under Dan.  
Dan was looking too and he said slowly "General? Is that you?"

There was a shuffling sound from the next cell and the figure of a man appeared in the gloom. "It is indeed, Daniel, my boy. But I bet you thought you'd never see me again, eh?"

The words themselves sounded slightly threatening, but something about the way the man said them rendered them friendly. He was middle aged, short and wirey, with salt and pepper hair and an eye patch over one eye. He had the air of a grandfather about him, or possibly an eccentric uncle talking to his favourite nephew, Phil thought.  
Dan's face lit up and he said "I thought you were dead!"

"Ha, they can't get rid of me that easy," The man said, chuckling dryly. "No, they dumped me in here but I'm still alive. Are you going to introduce me to your... friend?" He raised his undamaged eyebrow.

"Oh, yes, this is Phil. You know, my mirror friend. Phil," Dan said, turning to him "This is the General. He's also a prisoner of the Gentry, he was one of the people who helped me come and see you, that's why he's here."

"Oh ho!" The General said, "You're Phil, then, are you? Pleased to meet you at last."

"And you! Thanks for helping Dan," He replied.

"Not a problem, my boy! Anything to spite them folks," He said, spitting in disgust. "Nasty bastards."

Phil laughed a little, feeling a sudden liking for this old man, although he suspected he might be a little crazy. 

"It's easier for me," The General continued, "I don't have anyone to lose, see? But it's hard on the little ones, like Dan and Amethyst, here-" He waved at the cell opposite Dan and Phil's.

"What?" Dan said, "Amethyst's here too? How many of you are here?"

The General looked slightly surprised. "Oh, the whole bunch, Dan. Did I not mention that? Well, after word got out you'd run away with your mirror boy-"  
Dan looked a bit embarrassed but Phil sniggered, squeezing Dan's hand.

The General shot them a look, then continued.  
"We all- Well, not me, obviously, I was already down here, but all the others who want to fight for freedom- staged a rebellion. I don't think they had specific goal in mind other than to be as annoying as possible and try to delay the hunters. They didn't last long and they all got chucked in here. Amethyst, wake up! Look who's here!"

From the opposite cell came an annoyed noise, then from the darkness at the back of the cell emerged a teenage girl, looking sleepy and irritated. Her long brown hair was messy, and she fiddled with a lock of it, when she suddenly saw them and threw her hands in the air. 

"Dan!" She cried, "You're alive!" Then her eyes fell on Phil and she covered her mouth. "Oh my god. That's actually - Are you Phil?"

Phil nodded, surprised and a little amused that all Dan's friends seemed to know about him. "That's me."

"Oh my god. Do you know how much Dan talks about you? Constantly! He even says your name in his sleep sometimes, too -"

"Shut up, Amethyst," Dan said quickly. "Amethyst one of the youngest here, younger than me-"

"Excuse me? Younger by six months!"

"Nothing she says is true-"

"You're only saying that because you don't want him to know you have wet dreams about him!"

"I don't!" Dan protested, but Amethyst's snicker said otherwise.

Dan was speaking, but to Phil it felt suddenly like everything was happening a long way away. His vision blurred and he instinctively gripped Dan's fingers tightly, trying to stop the sensation of falling.

 

*

"Phil, Phil," Dan said, holding him gently, then looked at the General.

"You always have medicine and stuff in that coat of yours," He said, "Please say they didn't take it away from you. Please, help him..."

"What happened to him?" The General asked. 

"He was knocked out by Albian because he was trying to protect me," Dan explained. "I think he's got concussion or something."

Amethyst looked at them both with slight awe. "He stood up to Albian? Wow. He's really fallen hard for you, hasn't he?" 

Dan smiled slightly, brushing Phil's hair out of his face.

"Luckily, the bastards didn't bother searching me," The General said, digging around in his many pocketed greatcoat, bringing forth at last a tiny blue bottle. 

"Give this to him, Dan. It's a painkiller, and keep him awake."

Phil looked barely conscious when Dan lifted him half upright on his lap. "C'mon Phil, love, wake up."

"Did you just call me love?" Phil slurred.

Dan gave another little smile, then opened the tiny bottle and held it carefully. "Take this, it'll make you feel better, okay?"

Phil obediently drank the contents of the bottle, then said "Want to kiss you, but the room won't stay still..." 

"It'll stop soon," Dan said comfortingly. "I'm here." He bent and kissed Phil gently.

 

*

Almost four hours later, the pain killers the General had give Phil were starting to kick in. He was able to sit up a little better, without anything spinning, and when a surly faerie unceremoniously threw some hard bread into each cell, he managed to eat it without being sick.

All the other prisoners- from what Phil could see there were about ten or eleven of them- seemed to be asleep, making Phil wonder how much time had passed between him being knocked out and waking up here, or maybe they were just nocturnal. It was impossible to guess what time of day it was from in the cells, there were no windows or any natural lights, and Phil didn't have a watch or his phone with him.

 

*

Dan was curled asleep on Phil's lap, in an attempt to stay warm - concussion or not, it was horribly cold and damp - and Phil stroked his hair while he tried to think of a way to escape. 

"How are you feeling?" The General asked in a whisper.

"Better, thanks," Phil answered, instinctively putting his hand up to his head.

"Good. I would hate it if that arrogant faerie got the better of me. He's the King's son, you know, and as cruel as they make them."

"Has... Has he ever hurt Dan?" Phil asked, a little hesitantly. "He seemed... I don't know, interested in humans..."

"I know what you mean, don't worry. He's never touched Dan, as far as I know. He doesn't care about any of the little 'uns until they've fallen in love, then he does his creeping. He's more of the spying on people's - ahem - personal lives sort of bastard."

"Yes, that's what he did to me and Dan..." Phil said thoughtfully, then realised what he'd implied. "Er, not that- we weren't-"

"Don't worry about it, lad," The General laughed. "You're young, and in love, it's only natural."

Phil laughed slightly awkwardly, then to fill the silence said "I really do love him, you know. I'm not just enjoying the attention or anything. I... I guess I want it to be forever."

"I could see that from the second I saw you both together," The General said. "Dan looks at you like he thinks he can find meaning of life in your eyes, and you look at him like he's the meaning of life. You don't see that very often here. This is a dark place for love to flourish." He sighed and lay back against the stone wall.

"Thank you," Phil said seriously, "Thank you for keeping Dan safe. I don't know what I'd do if I lost him."

"Phil, my boy, I like you. If you're interested, I'd like to tell you the story of Meg."

Phil nodded assent. He suspected he was going to hear about the General's past, and he was curious about this old man who'd spent to much energy defending the other prisoners. 

The General glanced around the cells, but everyone else appeared to be asleep still. "I've never told any of the others this, because I'd have to look 'em in the face next day, an any of those who would have remembered the old Rebellion are long dead now. This happened more than fifty years ago, now, see? It began with Meg, everything did back then. She was brave, and she made you want to be brave too, and I loved her. I loved her more than anything, my sweet, selfless Meg." He smiled a fond smile, eyes staring back down the windings streets of memory. 

"I expect Dan told you there's no way back to our world?" He said, looking at Phil closely.

"He has, at length," Phil replied dryly. 

"Yes, I bet. That's what they all believe. I've never told them about the Golden Mirror. I've never told anyone about the Golden Mirror. Meg found out about it, all those years ago. You see, in the King's throne room stands a great mirror that shines like the sun, and if you have human blood it will take you home. Even the King himself didn't know, although he does now. Meg discovered it by stealing ancient books from the library, but the King isn't much of a reader." He chuckled bitterly. 

Phil's mind was going at one hundred miles an hour, thoughts jostling for position. At the moment, the one at the forefront of his mind involved waking up Dan and saying "I told you so!" but the General clearly hadn't finished his story, so he stayed silent. 

"Anyway, once we'd found that out, me, Meg, and a group of our friends started planning to escape, but we took our time, worked it out step by step, but then something changed. Meg was pregnant. I was going to be a father. We both knew we didn't want to raise our child here, so we made hasty plans, and they would have worked, too, but someone who we thought a friend turned traitor, right before the very throne. The King and his guards were waiting, and Meg tried to make us leave, but I wouldn't leave her, and... Well, I lost everything that day. My eye, my best friends, the woman I loved, and my child. Everything except my life. They thought it would be funny to leave me alive, crippled like I am, but I've showed 'em. Ever since then, I swore I'd protect the little 'uns, for the little 'un I never got to have."

Phil felt distinctly teary, and he held Dan closer on his lap, feeling his steady heartbeat. 

"I'm so sorry," He breathed, looking at the old man with new respect.

"Oh, don't be," The General said, "It was a long time ago now. I can look back with a mile, now. But I'm never going to stop trying to one-up those old bastards. Not while there's still breath in my lungs."

"And rightly so! We will escape, somehow."

"I hope so. My one wish is too see the sky again, the blue sky of home. Anyway, I just wanted someone to know the story. I would hate to think that when I pass, her memory passes with me, she deserves better than that."

"I'll remember, I swear."

"Dan's a lucky boy," Was all he said. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow, I'm going to tell the others about the Golden Mirror, and we can make plans."

Phil nodded, suddenly feeling very tired indeed, He lay next to Dan, careful not to disturb the younger boy. 

They'd barely stopped touching each other since they'd been imprisoned, and with anyone else it would have been weird, but with Dan it felt as natural as breathing. Besides, they had years of being unable to even have proper conversations to make up for, so Phil didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around Dan's middle. Dan sighed in his sleep and rolled into his touch, and before long sleep overcame Phil and his head sank onto Dan's shoulder. 

It was a long time before the General fell asleep, and as he sat and dreamed of the past, he spared a fond smile for the two boys, safe in each other's loving embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

When Phil awoke, the cell block was full of voices, although for all he knew it could have still been the middle of the night. Dan was just stirring next to him, and he kissed his forehead before sitting up and stretching. Dan groaned, rubbing his eyes.

"I don't know what you're complaining about," Phil said, "I'm the one who was concussed."

"Well, someone's feeling better," Dan said, sitting up. "I guess the General's medicines really are magic." 

"Unfortunately not. I can definitely still feel it."

"Aw, poor baby, do you want me to kiss it better?" Dan said wickedly. Phil couldn't stop himself cracking a smile.  
"Wow, mad bants," He said, hitting Dan's shoulder lightly.

"Don't ever say that again, you spork," Dan laughed, hitting Phil back. "That is literally the uncoolest thing in the entire world."

"How would you know what's cool anyway?" 

"Anything you think is funny is not cool."

"Harsh... But probably fair."

Just then, they heard the General calling for attention. All the cells fell silent, it was clear the General had the respect- or at least the curiosity- of everyone.

"Everyone," He said in his gruff voice, "In case you aren't aware, yesterday Dan and Phil- His mirror friend- ran away. They got as far as the woods, but Albian captured them and here they are."

There were annoyed noises at the mention of Albian, and everyone came closer, interested.

"Are you both all right?" An ill looking girl with blonde hair asked. "I'm Willow, by the way, and that Albian is a dangerous bastard-" She broke off, coughing, and Amethyst went over to her edge of the cell. 

"Will, sit down," She said gently. "You're ill." 

"We're fine," Phil said, "I had concussion but I'm better now. Are you okay?"

"She's got pnemonia," A tall boy with dreadlocks explained. "It's the damp."

"I haven't got anything to treat it," The General said, "Not except painkillers. The only thing that will help is getting out of here- But in fact that brings me back to what I have to say. I'm going to put this simply. There is way home. There is a way, just one, back to our world."

Noise erupted from across the room, but the General carried on. Dan gripped Phil's arm hard.

"If you wet the Golden Mirror with human blood, it will take you home. I've never told anyone before because last time people tired to escape, it was a bloodbath, but if we work together, there's a chance, just a chance, that we can make it.

"Make sure though, lads, this is really what you want. It will be dangerous, and our world- It's not like here. It's big, and loud, and _alive._ No one will think bad of you if you want to stay here. Anyone who wants to risk it, though... Stand up now. Remember what you're signing up for."

Dan stood up almost before the General had finished speaking. Phil stood up next to him, although it was already a given he was going to try to go home. 

Across the room, people were standing up, exchanging scared and excited glances. A tall boy held the hand of a much shorter one, a man with a goatee was grinning viscously, Willow, the ill girl, was leaning against the wall for support. Opposite them, Amethyst was standing, fiddling with the long strands of her hair again. She flashed Phil a quick smile.

The General was about to speak again when the door to the cell block opened with a bang. Three guards walked in, heavily armed. They looked confused by the way everyone was standing up, but they didn't let it stop them. In a series of smooth movements, they unlocked the door to the cell Phil and Dan were in.

Phil grabbed Dan's arm, scared they were going to separate them, but that didn't seem to be the plan; instead the guard held them both, tightly, and marched them out of the cell. Dan struggled frantically, looking petrified, but one of the guards gave him a sharp kick and he stopped.  
The other prisoners were watching in silence, with pity on their faces. They looked like they'd seen it all before, and maybe they had, Phil thought, maybe that's why Dan looks so scared. Maybe it all ends here. 

 

The passage outside was just as damp and cold as inside had been. Once, when Phil had been younger, he'd been on a school trip to an abandoned mine, and this passage, with it's flickering candlelight and damp air powerfully reminded him of that day. The guards were walking fast, dragging them onwards, being deliberately cruel and careless. 

 

Phil was beginning to wonder how much further he could on, through seemingly endless twisting corridors, when they suddenly came to a door. The guards opened it and threw them inside, slamming it behind them.

Phil looked around the room quickly. It was lit by a brazier of coals in one corner, filling it with dull red light which didn't reach the corners, although it wasn't large. There was nothing else except what appeared to be a vent at the top of one wall, and several ominous stains on the floor. 

"Phil," Dan said, putting an arm around his waist, "You okay?" 

"Fine," He replied briefly, pulling Dan into his arms. "What's going to happen?" 

"Nothing good, this is where they bring people who've displeased the King, and when the King is displeased he makes sure everyone knows it... I'm scared, Philly..." He looked up at Phil, eyes full of fear.

"I know, I'm scared too, but we're gonna be okay, we're gonna be-"

He was interrupted by the door opening and Albian striding in, with a malevolent smile. They broke apart at once, but kept within each other's personal space, ready to defend or attack at a moment's notice.

Noticing their expressions he said "Oh, don't worry, little humans, I'm just here to check the guards did their job. The real fun doesn't start until the King arrives. You'd better say goodbye to each other, because after this... Well, I won't spoil the surprise." With that he turned and left.

There was a moment of silence while they made sure he'd actually gone, then Dan said "We have to get out of here!"

"Working on it," Phil muttered, eyes scanning the cell, looking for any possible weakness. He was glad the General's medicine had got rid of his concussion, earlier his head would have rebelled at the movement. His searching eyes suddenly alighted upon the vent that gaped from near the ceiling. He nudged Dan.

"What's that?"

Dan followed his gaze. "It's a vent...?"

"I know that, I mean, could we use it to escape?"

Dan's face turned calculating as he realised what Phil meant. "Maybe... They're all connected to a central room that I think must be nearby, because sometimes they pump poison gas into the cells." He shuddered. "You could hear the screams echoing along the shafts. God, I hated it when it was my turn to do that." His eyes went distant for a second, then he seemed to pull himself together. "We have to try."

"Who's going first?" Phil asked, standing underneath the vent and looking up at it. It was about three feet above his head, and easy enough to grab onto with a leg up. You wouldn't be able to climb up to it by yourself, but luckily he wasn't alone.

"I will," Dan said, "I'm shorter." So the two of them grabbed the metal grate covering the opening to the shaft and pulled. It came away with a metallic clang, obviously not meant for sustaining heavy weight, and Phil gave Dan a leg up into the dark hole. 

When Dan pulled Phil up after him, the first thing Phil noticed was the draft. There was a definite current of cool air blowing through the shaft, keeping it from smelling musty or damp, and Phil took it to be a good sign. Hopefully the shaft came out somewhere useful. 

There were tunnels sprouting off to either side, each bringing another puff of cool air, but it was too dark to see anything much, even if there was anything in front of Phil apart from Dan's backside. He was sorely tempted to make a joke about admiring the view, but decided to focus instead on moving as fast and quietly as possible, hoping he wouldn't get cramp.

 

That crawl seemed to last forever, in the dark, constricted shaft, constantly tense and on the look out for any sign of escape. They kept hearing noises from god knows where, coughs and sighs and the scrape of metal on metal, but the shaft ahead of them seemed to be silent, which Phil wasn't sure was a good thing. Despite everything, however, Phil was in a surprisingly good mood. He'd felt so helpless back in that cell, restless and afraid, or lying on the floor feeling so sick he couldn't even comfort his crying boyfriend. 

_Boyfriend._

Phil was also aware that this was the first time he'd been properly alone with Dan since the night in the woods, when they'd had a pretty intense making out session, apparently watched by a faerie knight with a kink for humans. He wondered if Dan was thinking the same thing. About the kissing, not the kinky faerie.

"Dan?" He whispered, barely making a sound, but Dan caught it, and responded "Yeah?" 

"Are we- I mean... Are you my boyfriend now?" 

Dan was silent for moment, and Phil cursed himself. He shouldn't have mentioned it now, they had an escape to pull off-

"If.. If you want me?" Dan said, his shy tone cutting through Phil's chaotic thoughts.

"Of course!" He cringed slightly at how over-eager he sounded, but he couldn't help it.

"Boyfriend," Dan whispered, "I can't believe it."

"I know. If you'd told Phil of ten years ago, who was sat in his room talking to a mirror, that the mirror boy he'd loved for years would be his boyfriend I think he would have dived out of a window."

Dan giggled quietly. "You love me for years, did you? Such a sap."

"Hey! You were the one crying over me earlier!"

Dan drew breath to speak, probably another snarky comment knowing him, but then gasped.

"Phil, stop. There's a light ahead."

Phil froze. "Can you see anything?"

Dan crawled on a little. "Not really... It's a room, as far as I can see- I think it's empty. Shall we go for it?" 

"Gonna have to sooner or later," Phil said logically. "Let's do it."

 

*

Ten uncomfortable minutes later they were standing on the floor of what turned out to be the central room. It was small, grey, and claustrophobic, but it was bigger than the shaft they had just crawled through and Phil stretched gladly. Dan had gone over the the tiny table in the corner and suddenly he held up a bunch of keys he'd found there.

"Phil, these are the keys to the cells!"

"Why were they just left there?" Phil said suspiciously.

"I don't know, but let's take them and get out of here, please.."

Dan really didn't look happy, he kept shifting from foot to foot and chewing his lip. Phil didn't blame him. Although his own childhood hadn't been exactly happy, he'd never had to deal with anything like the stuff Dan had. The thought of the things Dan had had to endure kindled a steady flame of anger in Phil's stomach and he grabbed Dan's arm slightly too roughly, pulling him towards the door at the end of the room. 

"C'mon, let's go free the others. The sooner we can get out of this place the better. And, Dan?"

"Yeah?" Dan said, eyes wide.

"When we get home, I'm spoiling the hell out of you. We're going to go to the cinema, to the sea, have movie marathons, play video games. Safe, human things. I'm never letting them hurt you again."

Dan smiled fondly, and said "I doubt you'd be able to stop them, you're not exactly the most athletic guy ever, but - Thank you. Does that mean you're asking me on a date?" 

"I so am. I'm asking you on a hundred dates, in advance."

"My my, rather forward aren't we, sir?" Dan said, effecting a coquettish tone.

"Oh, shut up. Come on, let's go."

They slipped out of the door and into the stone corridor. Phil didn't have a clue where they were but Dan seemed to know, leading him down the left passage. All was completely silent, and every tiny sound they made seemed to echo round and round, making Phil flinch.

 

Eventually they reached the door, with no sight of a guard. It was making Phil more and more on edge, this unexpected ease, and as Dan quickly tried key after key in the door, he faced the corridor, keeping a look out.

"Hurry," He hissed, "I really don't like this.."

"I'm trying, but all the keys look the same...Wait, this is it!"

With a click, the door opened, and the two boys rushed in. The other prisoners all started talking at once, but Phil ignore them, and, taking the keys from Dan, started to systematically unlock the cell doors.

When they were all free, the General clapped them on the back and said "Thanks to you, we have a chance. Now, everyone stay together! We can do this!"

The other prisoners cheered quietly and started streaming out into the corridor. Phil took Dan's hand so as not to get separated, and they followed the crowd, ready to face anything. Ready to go home. So began the final stage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this being a day late, I haven't been doing so well mental health wise and that makes my procrastination worse lol but I did it.  
> I listened to the Captain America:The First Avenger soundtrack while writing, so if this chapter seems slightly overdramatic at times, blame that!  
> See you next week for the fifth chapter. 
> 
> -Starlight


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

Despite their best efforts, the amount of people caused a worryingly large amount of noise to echo through the passageways. 

"It's no good," Dan said, "They're going to hear us, General,"

"You're right," The General replied, casting a glance around. "We need to split up. Everyone into groups of two or three, quickly! Meet outside the throne room as quick as you can."

The prisoners quickly divided up and hurried off.

"Which way?" Phil whispered to Dan, who silently lead him down a side passage that sloped steeply upwards. They walked quietly, stooping slightly as the roof got lower and lower, until at last they came out onto a dark marble hallway.

"The King's private suite," Dan explained, keeping a tight hold on Phil's hand. Phil shivered, not at all liking the feel of this place, and went to carry on down the hallway when suddenly he stopped. There were voices ahead of them.

Dan pulled him back behind a heavy curtain made of a slightly sticky fabric, and they listened with held breath.  
The first voice that spoke was Albian, but he sounded different, humble and respectful, the usual arrogance gone.

"My King, the human slaves are imprisoned as you requested."

The second voice, which Phil assumed to be the King's, was deep and melodious, the sort of voice that could raise you up to the stars, make you feel confident and strong, make you believe in anything and everything. It was the sort of voice that could be so beautiful it brings tears to your eyes and makes you heart ache. It was the sort of voice that wove magic and summoned forth dragons with a few simple words. 

Phil hated it. 

Because, after all, what can raise up can tear down, and this voice had an undertone that suggested cruelty was more familiar to it than beauty would ever be. Dan shuddered next to him, as the words flowed over them, fine language twisted to a dark mockery of it's usual sound.

 

"You have done well, my Royal Knight. I looked forward to some fresh entertainment, since my last human killed themselves it has been most boring of an evening. I trust you put them in the cell with the obvious escape?" 

"Indeed, sir. I have not yet been back to check if they have taken it, I baid them bid farewell to each other, so they might yet be a while."

"Indeed? Well, let us hope they aren't too long. What about the key? You left that on the table?"

"My King, I followed all your instructions exactly. Do you not trust me?" His voice held a touch of carefully regulated reproach.

"Knight, you were responsible for nearly letting them get away last time. If that human had not turned traitor to them, then we would have lost our slaves, and what good is sport if it ends in defeat? I think you have shown you do not deserve trust."

"Forgive me, oh mighty King," Albian responded, a forced meekness colouring his tone. "But this time we'll get them, corner them by the mirror it's self. I can't wait to see the despair on their pretty little faces! And then I may choose which I wish as my playthings?" 

"Indeed, to use how you will. Despite your past failures, if all goes well, then you may have your fun. You may go."

Albian walked right past where Dan and Phil were hiding, but Phil was too shaken to listen.

_It's a trap, it's a trap! We have to warn the others!_

Dan called him to action by pulling him out from behind the curtain and running up the dark passageway, the opposite way Albian had gone. 

"Quickly, quickly," He muttered under his breath, and Phil found himself repeating it, as if saying the word would make the action true, would save their lives, would stop there being a second bloodbath at the Golden Mirror.

 

*

They sprinted up the many spiral staircases and through the long passageways to the main floors. Phil's head was starting to ache again, and he held onto Dan's hand still, as if breaking their physical contact would break their bond, would mean Phil would lose Dan like he'd sworn to never again, and still they ran, fuelled by a terrified mix of hope and desperation.

At last they snuck round a final corner and were confronted with a black ebonwood door. It had been left ajar, and Phil could hear voices from inside.

They raced through and, ignoring the startled questions, Dan gasped "It's a trap, it's all a trap! The King is coming, it's going to be a massacre!"

"What?" Willow- the ill girl- asked. "The King?" 

"Our escape was allowed, so was this," Phil explained frantically. "They're coming! Where's the General?"

"I'm here, lad," The General replied, "We need to get out of here, NOW!"

"We can't!" Amethyst said, "Not now we're so close, we'll never have another chance to get away!"

"You don't understand what it's like-" The General began, but interrupted himself. "I'm not going to be able to convince you little 'uns, am I? C'mon on then... Let's go for it."

Everyone was silent for a moment. This was _it._ Phil stared across the huge hall at the Golden Mirror.  
He felt Dan pull on his arm, then the other boy was kissing him, and Phil wanted suddenly to forget everything, to forget fighting, and running, and even breathing, and just kiss Dan forever, preserved in this perfect moment.

 _It's okay,_ He thought, _It's okay. Whatever happens, it's okay. It's been worth it. It's all been worth it._

"Dan," He murmured softly against his lips, "Dan. We need to go."

A second passed, and another, and another, then Dan pulled away, breathing slightly harder than normal.  
"Just in case," He whispered. "Just in case."

Everyone was watching them, Phil noticed, and any other time he would have been embarrassed but right now he was too light headed to care. Everything felt right, so deeply, truly right, laced with the bittersweet notes of deaths and endings and finished adventures and forgotten sunsets.

"Come on, Phil," Dan said, "Let's go home."

With that, they ran out into the cathedral-like hall, and their footsteps echoed as the others followed them.

 

*

Close to, the Golden Mirror was big, and incredibly beautiful with it's delicate simplicity. As one, the running prisoners stopped about a foot away from it, but without thinking twice Phil stepped forward and touched the smooth gold with his hand.

For a terrifying heartbeat, nothing happened, then the mirror warmed under his fingers, the gold shimmering like water.  
He pulled his hand away hurriedly and said "Who's going first?"

"Well, not me!" The man with the goatee said. "What if it's not a way back to the human world at all? Has anyone ever actually tested it? Thought not. What if we get stuck in limbo?"

"You chose to come, Jeff," Amethyst reminded him. "Do you not want to go home then?"

"Oh, I do," He said, "I just don't see why I should have to risk my neck. Let's make someone test it, and the logical person for that is him." He jerked a thumb in Phil's direction. "After all, we don't know him! He could be a spy for the fucking faeries for all we know." 

"I know him," Dan said angrily.

"Do you, indeed? And does he know you? Does he know the sort of things you've had to do in the past, do you think he'd stay with you if he knew?"

"I-" Dan broke off abruptly.

"Exactly. He's expendable, why does he matter?"

"Because- because I love him!" Dan blurted out, and the man gasped loudly.

But it wasn't because of Dan's words that he'd gasped. No, it had more to do with the crossbow bolt sticking out of his forehead.

 

Phil heard the snap of the crossbow being loaded again, and faeries dropped from the rafters and appeared from behind pillars, a deadly beautiful extermination squad. 

Leading the group was a figure that could only be the King. His armour was toxic and cancerous looking, and around his head lay a twisted black crown. Behind him stood Albian, crossbow in hand, a smug smile on his face. 

Panic broke out among the prisoners, and it was only due to the General's commands that they didn't scatter. 

"Hold your ground!" He bellowed, at last living up to the nickname give to him all those years ago. He stood steady and strong, and they rallied around him. No one had dared try the mirror yet, Goatee-Man's words- along with his sudden death- had shaken them too much, but the General spurred them into action.

"Go go go! It's safe, I promise, just GO!" 

Willow ran forwards, bent over trying to regain her breath, then stepped through the mirror. She vanished without a sound.

"WILL!" Amethyst shouted, but her cry was drowned out by the King's order.

"Do not let them escape! Kill if you must!" He lifted his mighty axe above his head. 

The others quickly stepped through, one by one. After all, whatever happened through the mirror could hardly be worse than staying behind. 

The General drew a short sword from beneath his coat and took a step forward. 

"Don't touch the little 'uns, you bastard," He growled.

"General, come on!" Dan screamed, trying to run towards him but Phil held him back. 

The clashes of the King's axe hitting the ground, Dan's screams, the swirling light of the mirror, it was all too much, and Phil very nearly didn't noticed Albian sighting his crossbow directly at Dan's heart.

In a heartbeat, he grabbed a knife from a fallen faerie and threw it with all his might. It flew, twisting round and round, and by some miracle of luck hit the faerie right in the neck. He fell without a sound. 

His shocked expression made a dark part of Phil smile grimly. Sometimes all it takes is one blow to make the world so _clean_ -

He snapped out of it when he heard Dan begin to cry. 

"General, COME ON! _PLEASE!_ "

"GO!" The General shouted in response, and he turned and made eye contact with Phil for one brief second, but Phil understood, understood in an impartial way that Dan perhaps couldn't, what the General meant.

_I'm giving you the chance I never got. Use it well._

"Dan, we need to go," He said, pulling him back. "Dan, come on!"

At that moment the King dropped his axe and whipped out a tiny knife, and plunged it into his opponent's chest. With a whisper that could have been a sigh, the General fell.

Dan screamed, and it was one of the worst sounds Phil had ever heard, a scream of pure anguish. Phil grabbed him, and, hating himself for being so rough but knowing he didn't have any choice, forcibly dragged Dan towards the mirror.

"Phil, you traitor, I hate you, I HATE you, stop let me GO," Dan sobbed, "GENERAL!"

But Phil understood, he knew why he'd sacrificed himself to let them escape.

_Protect the little 'uns, for the little 'un I never got to have._

_For Meg._

"I hate you, I hate you," Dan cried, and the faeries laughed and yelled, and Phil didn't stop, didn't let any of it distract him from getting to the mirror.

Just one more step. Just one more step.

Right in front of the mirror he whispered "I love you too," Then pulled Dan through the mirror in is arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this fic is actually gonna have at least seven chapters, because somehow when I wrote the draft, I labelled two different chapters as chapter five by accident, and didn't notice until just now. Whoops. 
> 
> Thanks for all your wonderful comments, you all make me so happy! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, some serious shit went down that took ages for me to write lol! 
> 
> -Starlight


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry I didn't post this last Thursday like normal, I was away, so here, have a random Sunday upload. I hope you enjoy it, I'm bringing this story to a close, at last! The next chapter will be the final part and epilogue, so stay tuned for that next week.   
> Enjoy!

Phil wasn't scared by the sensation of mirror travel this time, and in an instant they were tumbling out onto the floor.  
Face down on the ground, Phil breathed carpet, dust and the familiar smell of his bedroom. He pushed himself upright quickly, and saw the others standing around his bedroom, looking lost and scared.  
Without hesitating, he picked up a stool and smashed the mirror. Shards of glass flew everywhere, reflecting shattered rainbows off the walls and ceiling, and Phil fell to his knees again next to Dan.

"Are you okay?"

"What happened? Where's the General? Oh god, what happened?" He sounded confused and panicky.

"Dan," Phil said gently, "It's what he wanted. He wanted to give us that chance."

"You mean-" Willow said "The General... He didn't..."

"He didn't make it," Phil confirmed. "I'm sorry."

Everyone looked stunned. Amethyst gave a tiny sob, and Dan lay back down on the floor.

Phil was silent, processing everything that had just happened.

"I killed someone," He said suddenly.

"What?" Dan said, looking up from the carpet. "Who?"

"That kinky one, y'know... Albian.I killed him. I mean, I think I did, I hit him with a knife." He began to laugh, slightly hysterically. Dan sat up on his knees and hugged him fiercely. 

"It's okay," He said, "It's over now. We're safe." He suddenly seemed to realise where he was, and stood up, looking around eagerly.

"Oh my god. We're here, we're actually here."

Suddenly a voice floated up the stairs. It was his mum. "I'm going to be out tonight, Phil," She called, "Don't lock the front door!"

"Okay, Mum!" Phil called back, although he doubted she'd waited for his reply. It seemed his family were just the same as before, and he felt vaguely cheated. In books, when the hero returned they always seemed to appreciate their family and view them in a new light, armed with wisdom they'd gained on their quest. 

Phil didn't fell like he'd gained any particular wisdom from this "Quest." Although he had gained a Dan, which surely had to be worth more. One thing had changed, though, he realised, as he watch Dan play excitedly with the bits and bobs on his chest of drawers, he didn't resent his family any more. They were people, with their own complex issues, and that was okay. He didn't need to hate them, or even love them, just accept them as humans, flawed and imperfect. 

Besides- he looked again at Dan- He had his own family now. A small, private family of two. As long as he had his best friend, then it was going to be okay.

That suddenly made him wonder what the hell they were going to do. He looked around the room, looked at the seven free beings sat in his slightly too small bedroom. 

"Dan?" He said, "What're we gonna do?" 

"I don't know," Dan said, looking suddenly very young and inexperienced. "We can't stay here, your parents wouldn't be happy... But the rest of us don't have anywhere else to go. I don't have anywhere else to go." 

"Well, I'm not exactly going to turn you all out on the streets," Phil said, seeing the worry in their eyes, "There has to be somewhere we can go, at least for now..." He thought for a second, then sat up so suddenly he made everyone jump. "My Gran! She'll know what to do!"

 

*

 

Phil paced up and down the room, holding the phone to his ear. It was late, and he desperately hoped that his grandma would still be awake.

"She's not answering," He muttered, more to himself than the others. "C'mon, Grandma..."

Suddenly the phone clicked and he heard his grandma's voice. He punched the air.

"Philip? Is everything okay?" 

"Yeah, hi grandma, don't worry, I'm fine. I just... Remember Christmas? And the conversation we had?"

"I remember," She said, her voice tinny through the phone's speakers. "Am I finally getting the truth about that?" 

"Yes, I'll tell you, but what I really need is a favour. Could I bring-" He quickly glanced round the room- "About eight people over for the night? I'll explain when we get there, I promise, but please. I don't know who else to go too, not when there's magic involved."

There was a long silence, then his grandma sighed and said "So you've got involved with the paranormal, after all. Well, it was too much to hope that you wouldn't, not with your heritage. All right, bring them round. But you have to explain exactly what's been happening when you get there, okay? I want you to be safe." 

"Thanks Grandma, I will, I promise. Thanks so much. Bye."

He turned to the others. "She said yes! We can go,"

"Your Gran is a fucking hero," Dan said.

"She is, even if she did scare me to death guessing about you last Christmas."

"She did what?" Willow said, "How on earth did she do that?" She coughed again and Amethyst put an arm around her shoulders.

"She's got the sight too," Phil explained. "We'll be safe with her, if we can get there, that is."

"Phil, we just escaped from the Mirror World," Dan pointed out. "This should be easy."

"I suppose you're right."

 

*

 

Phil took ten minutes to explain about trains for the less knowledgeable, and as he did he realised that he didn't even know all of their names yet, so it turned into an impromptu "Get to know each other" session. Amethyst and Willow, he already knew, but some of them were completely unknown to him.

The names blurred a little after a while, but he felt he had a pretty good grip of who everyone was. Roman, tall with dreaded hair, Eric with the scar on his face, and his boyfriend Jon, who stood behind him protectively, Cecily, who sat shyly in the corner, looking down at the ground.

And Dan, of course, who was glowing and vibrant, shining like the sun.

"I love you," Phil whispered to him as they stood listening for any sounds from downstairs. He smiled at Phil and took his hand. 

"Love you too. God, I really want to kiss you right now."

"You're such a teenager," Phil laughed.

"You like it."

"I certainly do."

"Oi, get a room," Eric teased cheerily from behind them. "Please focus on getting us out of here."

"RIght, right yes," Phil said, tearing his eyes away from Dan's. "I can't hear my brother, so I think it's clear. Let's go!"

 

They got downstairs and out into the windy night without a problem. There was no sign of Phil's family, which he was grateful for. He really didn't want to have to explain to his dad why he had a group of random teens in his bedroom, or why he couldn't seem to keep his eyes- or his hands- off a certain brown eyed boy. That was a conversation for another day.

 

The walk to the train station wasn't long, and they were nearly there when Phil spotted something that made his heart sink. At the end of the road, lit up weirdly by the orange street lamps, were his old schoolmates, Aeonia, Nathan and the gang. He supposed it was probably inevitable they would meet someone somewhere along the way, but he still wasn't looking forward to it. He wasn't sure if he wanted to let go of Dan's hand or pull him closer, so he settled for squeezing it gently to get his attention.

"Those are my old schoolmates," He said quietly, so only his friends could hear him. "They're idiots, don't rise to anything they say. Let's just get through this as quickly as we can. The last train leaves at midnight."

As they got closer, it became clear they'd have to pass very close by them to get into the station. The smell of alcohol hung heavily around them, and it was a good five minutes before they heard Aeonia's fake squeal.

"Oh my gosh, is that Phil? Hi Phil!" She trilled, swaying on her feet. "Come join the party! You know you'd.. welcome..." She tried to wink, but failed miserably. 

Phil took a deep breath before replying "No thanks, we've got a train to catch."

"Who are these people?" Nathan asked, coming forward, bottle in hand. "I don't recognise them at all,"

"No, they're not from around here," Phil answered evenly. "Now please let us through." 

The clock on the station wall read ten minutes to midnight.

Aeonia didn't move, and instead took a good look at them all, seeming to notice for the first time Dan holding Phil's hand tightly. He'd decided on pulling Dan closer in the end, and Dan seemed only too happy to occupy Phil's personal space. 

"Who's that?" She spat.

"This is Dan," Phil said, the evenness leaving his tone now that Dan had been brought into it. "My-"

"Oh, so Dan wasn't imaginary!" She interrupted, her voice falsely bright, her eyes shooting daggers. "I thought you were lying about that. What have you got to say for yourself, then?" 

"I'm not imaginary," Dan said, and Phil could hear him trying to copy his even tone and failing ever so slightly. 

"And you're Phil's boyfriend, then?" She said. "Good luck with that, he's a boring, ugly, fag-"

Phil felt Dan tense to interrupt, but he was beaten to it by Jon, the biggest and strongest of them all. He pushed past Dan and Phil, crossed his arms and said in a low voice "Don't ever say that word again. Never. Again. I hardly know Phil, and I'm not good with new people, but if I ever hear anyone say that word ever again-" He was breathing hard, his face tinged red. 

Eric, his boyfriend, slipped through the crowd and put his hand on Jon's arm. 

"Leave it," He muttered. "I'm all right." He pulled he pulled his boyfriend away, still talking softly. 

Aeonia looked a mixture of scared and furious, and she tried to hide it by tossing her hair and turning away. "Let's go," She said angrily.

Phil lead the way past her through the glass doors of the station. The lights were blinding after the semi-darkness outside, and but Phil quickly bought tickets from the sleepy looking woman at the offices and they went out onto the platform with five minutes to spare.

They sat on the cold metal benches and waited for the train. Roman had taken off his coat and draped it round Amethyst and Willow's shoulders with a look of brotherly affection. Cecily was staring in fascination at the announcement board, and Eric and Jon sat a little way away, holding hands. 

Phil nodded towards them. "What was that all about?"

Dan's face went dark. "I don't know details, but you know Albian? Well, word has it that he tried something with Jon, and Eric defended him. Nearly broke Albian's nose as far as I know, despite being smaller than both Jon and Albian. But as punishment he got flogged and and while they were doing that the faeries all chanted... That word. It was absolutely horrendous. They tied Jon up next to him and made him watch." He shuddered and Phil pulled him closer. 

"I want to kill anyone who's ever hurt any of you!" He said, and he must have said it louder than he intended because Eric leant over and said "Thanks, Phil. You already made me feel better by knifing that bastard in the ribs. I'm fine, I really am," He added, seeing that everyone was looking at him. "It was well worth it."

"Jon," Phil said, "Thanks for the support back there."

"No problem, mate," He said quietly. "Thanks for getting us out of that hell hole." 

They heard the rattle of the train approaching down the line, and as they all rose, Phil couldn't help but feel all warm inside. For the first time in his life, he felt like he had a family.

 

*

 

It was raining when they got off the train, about three hours later. His grandma lived in a small town, and there were no street lamps to light the dark roads, but luckily Phil could remember the way. 

Before too long, they were outside her house, a cosy little bungalow. There were lights in the windows, and Phil had barely started knocking when the door opened.

"Come in, come in!" Mrs Lester, looking the wet, tired teens up and down. 

Very quickly, they were all sat in her living room with mugs of hot chocolate and fuzzy blankets, and Phil thanked his lucky stars that his Gran had let them come.

"So, Philip, She said, sitting in the only empty armchair, "You owe me introductions and explanations, my lad."

"Yeah," Phil agreed, looking round at his friends. "Grandma, meet my friends. That's Roman, Cecily-" He pointed to them as he spoke- "And that's Amethyst, Willow is the one with three blankets, and those two at the end there are Jon and Eric."

He paused for a second, and took a deep breath. He had no idea how his grandma would react to him having a boyfriend, no idea at all. She was pretty accepting, on the whole, but Phil knew what older people could be like- He decided he just had to go for it.

"And this is my boyfriend, Dan." Dan gave a little wave.

Mrs Lester's eyes widened and she gasped "Philip Lester! The first time you bring someone home and you do it a three in the morning when I'm in my nightclothes with not a cake in the house!"

Dan laughed, a genuine laugh that made Phil smile. 

"Next time," Mrs Lester said to Dan, "You get that boyfriend of yours to bring you to dinner like an ordinary human being, please and thank you."

"I will," Dan said, linking his arm with Phil's. "Now, hurry up and tell the story, you spork. The suspense is killing me."

"What d'you mean, the suspense? You were there!" Phil said, poking him, but started to tell the tale anyway.  
Everyone listened intently, even Dan- maybe especially Dan, who stared at him with adoring eyes as he recounted the way they'd met, and everything that had happened afterwards.

When he'd finished, there was silence, then Jon of all people spoke up.

"You're amazing, Phil."

 

Then everyone was talking all at once, talking about this or that, adding experiences, and Grandma was asking questions about the Mirror World, and Jon and Eric were answering them as they were the oldest who'd been there, but Phil ignored it all and turned to Dan, who was still staring at him wistfully, and took the opportunity of all attention being diverted to kiss him passionately. Dan fell backwards until they were both lying on the sofa with their blankets tangled underneath them, and _God,_ Phil was so in love. 

Their kisses were slow this time, and before Phil knew it they were just snuggling, Dan completely crushed underneath his weight.

"You okay?" He asked, making sure Dan could still breathe, but Dan nodded happily.

"I feel safe," He whispered. "And also sleepy."

"Me too," Phil yawned, and at that exact moment Grandma clapped her hands and said "I've got mattresses in the back room, and other bedding is upstairs. I'm not going to try to navigate the fineries of teenage relationships, so make up your own beds next to whoever you want, please."

"Me and Jon aren't teenagers any more," Eric said. "We're older than Philly boy here," He ruffled his hair   
affectionately. He'd quickly become firm friends with Mrs Lester, and was completely comfortable joking around. He had a definite talent for making friends. Phil laughed.

"Still applies," He said, ducking out from Eric's grip. "Besides, how do you know how old I am?" 

"Ah, you forget you have a fanboy," Eric said. "Dan's told us about you quite a lot." 

"I'm Phil Trash Number," Dan said, his voice sleepy. 

"I love the way you have no filter when you're tired," Phil told him.

"Oi, you three, come help us with the beds," Roman chastised as he walked past, carrying a bundle of blankets. "Or you'll be sleeping on the floor tonight, and although I have the utmost respect for Mrs Lester's carpet I doubt it would be very comfortable."

 

*

 

It was quiet. 

The last of the beds had been laid out a little while ago, and everyone was asleep, except Dan. He sat wrapped in his blankets, listening to Phil's even breathing and watching the flames dance in the fireplace. 

He was remembering the last time he'd seen Phil unconscious, and the sickening waves of fear and dread he'd felt, the horrible suffocating feeling of helplessness. He half wanted to go and cuddle up to him now, to feel his heartbeat and see the way he instinctively let Dan into his arms, even when asleep, but he didn't want to disturb him, so he stayed where he was. God knows Phil deserved his sleep after everything they'd been through.   
He was watching Phil's peaceful face, marvelling in his beauty, when Mrs Lester stuck her head through the door.

Seeing he was awake, she came in and whispered "Everything all right?" 

Dan nodded and smiled softly. "Thanks for being so kind, Mrs Lester." 

"You're welcome, my love. After everything that's happened to you all, it's the very least I can do."

There was a comfortable silence for a minute or so, then she said "Oh Dan. You look after my grandson, won't you? He's a strange one, but we love him anyway." 

"I will. He's my best friend."

Mrs Lester smiled and said suddenly "My boy, I'm going to make you a pie. An apple one, I think, they're in season at the moment, aren't they? Yes, fresh apple pie, that's what a growing lad like you needs."

Dan couldn't help laughing again, laughing at the fact Phil's grandma showed affection via baked goods. He tried to stifle it so he didn't wake the others, but it was too late. Phil half opened an eye and mumbled "What're you doing, Dan? Come back to bed..." Dan obliged and slid under the covers and into his warm embrace. 

He looked up to say good night to Mrs Lester, but she'd vanished. No doubt to find the ingredients for a pie, Dan thought, and nearly started laughing again, so he turned his attention to cuddling. 

"I love you," He whispered, but he was asleep before he'd finished speaking. 

Peace. For the first time since they were tiny children, they all knew complete peace, safe in the arms of the people they loved most in all the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just really like apple pie, okay!?
> 
> All jokes aside, thanks for reading and all the lovely comments! If you have any questions about the writing process of this fic, or my fics in general, or anything you like, ask away and I'll answer. 
> 
> RainMagic asked me what my username means, and as I get asked that quite a lot, I'm going to answer it here. My name, DrowningInStarlight, is a poetic version of the feeling of suffocating in beauty, of throwing yourself into the sea of moonlight and swimming until you can swim no longer. For some reason that just really appealed to me, so when I rebranded from DragonOfAmethyst that was what I chose. 
> 
> Thanks again for reading, and I'll see you all soon! 
> 
> -Starlight


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter! Whooo! Enjoy!

The next morning, Mrs Lester made some calls.

By the time they were all awake and sitting in the kitchen eating toast, some official looking black cars were driving up outside. She introduced the stern looking men and women as the little known branch of the police force who dealt with supernatural and other-worldly problems. It was a long morning, and a painful one for some, as they had to describe any little detail they could remember about the Mirror World and the kidnapping ring.

"They made us take the other children," Cecily said, so quietly she was almost inaudible, "They told us that if we ever escaped then we'd get locked up, that we were to blame for taking the others from their homes, they told us it was all our fault..." She broke off, voice choked with sobs.

The Chief Inspector said gently "They lied, sweetheart, they lied. You're all going to be okay, we're going to find your parents. You can go home."

 _Home._ The word shocked Phil. He had a home, and so did Dan. They both had homes. Apart. And Phil realised dully that while he hated his home, the same wasn't true of Dan. Dan needed to go home, to meet his family, and Phil resolved silently to not stop him. _The last thing he needs is anyone else getting in the way._ Phil was doing the right thing.

Then why did he feel like crying?

 

*

 

The sun was well past noon by the time they were finished with the interrogation. 

The Chief Inspector seemed satisfied with what they'd learnt. "We've had this world down as a potential threat for a while now," She explained, "And we've been aware of the children going missing, but we couldn't work out the connection between the two. But thanks to the information you've provided, we know, and we'll sent agents to shut down the ring, don't worry. There will never be another mirror kidnapping. And we'll get agents to track down your families. You can go home!"

"We won't be separated, if we don't want to be, will we?" Jon asked, with a look that said _over my dead body._

"Of course not, and if you're over sixteen you don't have to live with your parents, either," She clarified quickly. "Whatever you want to do. You're a free human now."

They all went their own ways throughout the house, and Phil found himself alone with Dan in the living room. A silence fell between them, and it felt awkward, heavy with things unsaid.

"So... you'll finally be able to meet your family, then..." Phil said, just to break the silence.

"Yeah..." Dan said, and Phil was surprised to hear the reluctance in his voice. 

"That's good, isn't it?"

"What if they don't like me, Philly? What if I don't like them?" Dan sounded so genuinely scared it made Phil start, and he began to feel he'd misread the situation.

"-Like, don't get me wrong, I want to meet them, of course I do, but what if I'm not the person they want me to be? I don't know what to do..."

He trailed off, and Phil debated fiercely for a moment then burst out all one breath "Dandoyouwanttolivewithmeyoudon'thavetoifyoudon'twantto,"

"Sorry?" Dan said. "I didn't catch a word of that."

"Sorry. I mean, do you... do you want to live with me, Dan? I mean, I know you weren't hinting or anything and if you don't want too... I thought we could get a flat or something... But, y'know, if you aren't ready or anything then that's fine, I mean, you have parents to meet first and-"

Dan interrupted. "Phil, you spork, of course I'd love to live with you! You're my best friend, always will be, whatever my family are like. I don't think I could live with parents again, not after so long... Did you have anywhere in mind?"  
"I was thinking maybe London? I saw this place..."

And with that they were off, plans and ideas in their heads, and love in their hearts, together against the world.

 

*

 

It was barely three days before Dan got a letter from the Inspectors, who said they'd found his family. Apparently they'd kept a close record of all the missing children, so finding their families hadn't been very hard, and he could meet them whenever he felt ready.

"Today," He'd said, and Phil had asked "Are you sure? You don't have to rush anything you don't want too-"

"No, I want to do this, as soon as possible. But... Come with me?"

So Phil watched from a polite distance as Dan was embraced by his tearful parents, and smiled happily, content to watch Dan's happiness, but Dan's mother came over to him. 

"You saved my little boy," She sobbed, "You saved him. Thank you, thank you-" She hugged him like he was her own son. 

"It's okay, Mrs Howell," Phil said gently. "In the end, he saved me too." 

 

* Epilogue *

 

"Is that the last of the boxes, Dan?" Phil called through the flat. Their flat. 

"Yeah," Dan said, coming into the living room and standing next to Phil, looking around proudly. "D'you think we should have got a big mirror, for old time's sake?" He joked, then laughed at Phil expression.

"No," Phil said firmly. "No more mirrors."

"Spoilsport." Dan pretended to frown, but really he couldn't keep the smile off his face, and Phil knew it. 

 

Six months after escaping the Mirror World, and they'd finally got their new flat sorted. It had been hard work, but well worth it. 

Six months later, and Cecily and Roman were going to Uni, six months later Amethyst and Willow had got jobs at a comic book shop, six months later Eric and Jon had set up their own bakery, and sent them all complimentary cakes on a regular basis. 

Six months later, and the memories of the Mirror World had faded somewhat, the sharp edges dulling, the vivid colours dimming, and it was better that way.

 

"Are you ready to go to Grandma's for dinner, then?" Phil asked, and Dan smiled.

"You bet I am. I want that apple pie she promised."

Phil laughed, and if later that night, when he told the story of two lovers crossed by fate, he saw a few tears slid down his boyfriend's face, he didn't say anything, just pulled him closer into a hug. 

And when a year later they walked hand and hand into the animal rescue centre, there was never any debate about what names they would choose. Soon, two little puppies ran through the flat, and they answered to the names of General and Meg.

 

Because in the end, everyone has a story, and as he watched the love of his life rolling on the floor with two little dogs, he was glad that theirs, at least, had a happy ending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been writing this fic for almost three months now, including all the writing I did before beginning to post it, and wow it feels weird to not have it to go back too! This is my first proper long phanfiction, and I'm so glad I stuck it out and I'm so glad all you wonderful people enjoyed reading it.
> 
> Shoutout especially to @HunterPeverall for commenting with such dedication! 
> 
> What was one thing you liked about this fic, and one thing I could've done better? Tell me and I'll keep it in mind when I write again. 
> 
> Don't worry about how old this fic is, I always love getting comments on my longer work! :D
> 
> I have a YouTube channel where I make Dan and Phil edits!  
> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm4Qf-3y7F2NU8pgy5CSr-w
> 
> Also, if any of you have any requests as to what I write next, then let me know.  
>  
> 
> Thanks again for reading! Goodbye, for now.


End file.
